Best of

the Twin Cities

Best College Athlete

Kelly Pannek

The Gophers women’s hockey team had an off year last season, losing their opener in the Frozen Four. When you’ve won seven national titles since 2000, merely being one of the best four teams in the country is a bit of a letdown. This doesn’t diminish the shine of Kelly Pannek, the Gophers All-American who led the nation in scoring. With 19 goals and 43 assists, the Plymouth native and Benilde-St. Margaret’s grad is the kind of player who makes those around her better. And since the junior forward has shown marked improvement every season, her best is yet to come.